TheSignalEngineer

The last ones ended up at Monument Lane. One of their jobs was New St pilot, where they appeared with Coal Tanks and late survivors of the 2-4-2 tanks. Another place where they sometimes worked was Dudley Port to Dudley. The 2-4-2T variety were common at Ryecroft on the South Staffs line services right up to nationalisation.

More great service from Dan, ordered Monday evening and it was here by courier before 10 am Wednesday.

Positives today. Stretched the morning bike ride a little so we could give Sammy a socially isolated Birthday wave. He was having a virtual birthday party this afternoon on the on-line group set up by the parents of his friends. Not killed anyone yet although a couple of candidates have given me the urge to. Great views on the ride back over the hills, strange to see only two contrails over Manhester and the Peak District. No,1 compost bin cleared out and a new batch started in that one, No.2 now closed until it is ready for use. Keep safe one and all, more bike riding, gardening and possibly modelling tomorrow. The modified version of the Stones Ventilators that Guy Rixon put on Shapeways for me arrived today so I have 3 LMS P1/P2 vestibules to finish off.

Back in the 1980s I bought a wind-up gramophone from an antique shop. It still had the test label attached, November 1916. It stood on an oak plinth-style record cabinet which held about 40 10" records, mostly accoustically recorded, some pre-WW1. My great Aunt was very interested to hear them, she was born in the reign of Queen Victoria, knew all of the songs and had seen Gus Elen and many others on the records. Of Billy Williams (When Father Papered The Parlour) she said "Oh yes, I saw him in 1911". BTW, the gramophone still sits on its plinth in the lounge in full working order, much to the amusement of my grandsons.

Positives today were getting more work done in the garden and setting up a virtual speed and distance recorder on the old turbo trainer that SiL has given us. Another benefit is that it's much quieter than usual, no background hum from traffic and town. A woodpecker was clearly audible this morning. First time I've heard one here in the 13 years we've lived in this house.

I was riding across to my daughters last week and the blocks in Manchester were the clearest I had seen them in many years of travelling that road.

The government has already suspended competition laws in some industries. No doubt they would like more people to stay at home rather than travelling to pack parcels. Another factor will be if lots of postal workers and delivery drivers go sick next week I can see the government wanting to take control of whatever courier capacity is available for essential deliveries.

Think it was on one of our local groups.

I originally found the comment on FB.

No, but the scumbags have taken to burgling them. One done at Knottingley last week

Positives today Woke up, as did Mrs SE Sun shining Earth still orbiting Sun and rotating so gravity still present Went to M&S Wrinkly Hour, scored 9/10 on shopping list Picked up veg order Butcher hadn't got any chickens but phoned us to pick one up when they arrived Tin Shed had in stock the three slabs I need to alter the front path Cut the grass Planted first batch of onion sets All washing dried outside. All-in-all not that bad a day. Some of our young neighbours have been doing some pavement art.

My daughter was out at the weekend delivering flyers for a FB Group in her area advertising shops doing home delivery or taking orders for volunteers to deliver.

Looking at some pictures of a visit we made in 1972, the same 2mt and saddle tank are in the same positions but mine has a couple of other details missing, so I would go with 1973-4

Our local electrical shop sold out of freezers in half a day. The owner says he doesn't know when he will be able to get any more.

Thinking of things to do to fill odd bits of time previously occupied. Daughter is working from home as much as possible as grandchildren are off school. We usually do the afternoon school run twice a week plus some after school activities on those days so that's about 10 hours out of the normal calendar for me. A while ago I started sorting some old family photos and I got round to thinking about a couple of project ideas from the past. I've decided to try to take at least one picture each day of life locally during the present strange circumstances. Initially I will post them on Flickr, but will occasionally link one on here. To contrast the current picture I am picking a photo from my collection which stretches back not only through my lifetime, having been alive in nine decades (I'm not that old, just think about it) but goes back to the oldest photo I have which includes two of my Great Great Grandparents taken about 130 years ago. As it's Mother's Day today I picked a shot of me with my Mom over 70 years ago. A couple of years before she died we used to go through old photos as it was something she could talk about. One day she produced the 'Black Album' which was a collection she started when I was born and went through to when I was around 12 years old. This was one of the early ones. fortunately most had a date and place written on the back. Old Pictures No.1 - Aberystwyth 15-9-1949 by Charles Eric Steele, on Flickr

Cutting the lawns is on tomorrow's list for me. They have dried out enough this week to contemplate doing it.

I had trouble getting to the DIY tin shed at 10.30 because of all of the Tesco customers parked on the roadway and footpaths. When I finally got through the car park was almost full of Tesco shoppers.

The SYP on most EE Tye 3s only came half way across the tail lamp lens, so it was probably behind the brake tender.

Still got dozens taking part in the Dark Peak TT. Lots of motorbikes over the Snake Pass this morning. Few of them are local.

Good Morning Mr Duck. My Dad always told me that gardeners are the world's greatest optimists. We sow seeds in the belief that they will grow and we watch them in the belief that we will enjoy the results. Spent an hour yesterday doing veg seeds, today I will finish preparing this year's potato patch. Next week I will start the planting and in July I will be eating them.

Parts of the Peak District were the same yesterday. Pictures of deserted streets in Manchester City Centre but my usual cycle run where I rarely see more that three people was as busy as a bank holiday

Don't think there would be much panic buying if there was only old fashioned toilet paper available.

I used our local M&S food shop last Friday. First hour wrinklies only, shelves almost all had some stock, main shortage was bread flour, but loads of bread. Manager on door deciding who got in, no more than about 20 when I went round. This week it's Mon/Thurs wrinklies, Tues/Fri NHS etc.

It would be easy to stop panic buying. Date and shop name stamped on hand (or better still forehead) then no more visits that day. Toilet rolls nearest to the door followed by beer. One basket per customer. Try getting food into a basket which already has a 24 pack of toilet rolls and a box of beer in it.